Twitter Reactions: South Africa dents Pakistan's top-order after tumbling for 220

It did not take too long for Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje to push Pakistan four down for 33, trailing still by a good 187.

By Pratyay Tiwari

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Hasan Ali
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Hasan Ali. (Photo Source: Twitter)

South Africa bundled out for 220 at National Stadium Karachi after showing glimpses of a positive start on Day 1. The visitors, after winning the toss and opting to bat, began with intent as they accumulated runs at a free pace. Dean Elgar, who came into this series on the back of some fine performances against Sri Lanka, once again led his team to a breezy start, attacking Hasan Ali alongside his partner Aiden Markram.

On a pitch that was hardly offering anything, Ali erred in length thoroughly, overpitching the ball, and being befittingly slammed for five fours in his first two overs. Shaheen Afridi, however, angled one away from the length that induced an edge from Aiden Markram’s bat, and the debutant Imran Butt, at second slip, made no mistake in diving to his left to complete the catch.

South Africa’s flowy start

The early wicket did not make much of a difference for Rassie van der Dussen, who walked in and kept the scoreboard moving healthily alongside Elgar before he enthusiastically set himself off for a single that Elgar showed the least interest in. Sent back, Dussen could not make his ground, as he gifted his wicket to the opposition. Elgar continued to score well as he got to his 16th Test half-century soon after South Africa resumed from 97/2 after Lunch.

It’s a mystery whether the 40-minute break installed something into the track or was it a bad display of cricketing application by South Africa in the second session, which started with the fall of Faf du Plessis courtesy of a flighted delivery from leg-spinner Yasir Shah. Coming into him before turning away enough to induce an edge, the ball went straight to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. Skipper Quinton de Kock perished to Nauman soon, as he tried slogging him, but not managing any farther than Imran Butt at midwicket.

Turnaround for Pakistan 

With half of their side in the dressing room, Temba Bavuma and George Linde commenced a repairing act. Such are the ebbs and flows of the format that during their 17-over of togetherness at the crease, they were far from the pace at which South Africa was scoring only a few hours ago. Their 42-run collaboration was halted by a valiant attempt of running two by Bavuma, who was eventually run-out after a toilsome outing of 17 from 67, losing the race against Hasan Ali’s accurate throw at the striker’s end.

Having shown immense patience against spin before scooping Hasan Ali to deep midwicket, George Linde departed soon too, for 35. Anrich Nortje was kind enough to not trouble the scorers and give Yasir Shah his third, scoring and 9-ball duck. It was, however, fair for the last pair – Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada – to swell up the lead by 25 runs, giving themselves a little more defend later.

Red-hot Rabada dents the hosts

After 70 overs of play, it was evident that the home side’s hard-work coupled with the visitors’ haphazardness reaped well for them, although it did not take too long for a searing-in Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje to push Pakistan four down for 33, trailing still by a good 187. Rabada beat Abid Ali by pace, and to add to Ali’s misery, the ball stayed low before it rammed into his stumps.

The track had already given hints of untrustworthy bounce, and it came into the reckoning when Rabada’s length ball rose before taking debutant Imran Butt’s glove and landing in leg slip’s hands. On a wicket where half of South Africa’s wicket fell to spin, Keshav Maharaj had to get one before the close. And he did when he trapped Babar Azam leg before, who reviewed it to no avail, before Anrich Nortje uprooted night watchman Shaheen Afridi’s middle stump.

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